ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 10

ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

ARRIVAL OF M.C.C. TEAM.

INTERVIEWS WlTIt PLATfERS.

AUSTRALIA'S NEED FOR BOWLEGS.

Oft arrival !n Wellington yesterday, E. Barratt, the Notts fast bowler, had some interesting things to say regarding Australian and English cricket. Bowlers had a Very lean tinn* in Australia, he said, owing to the "shirt*front" Wickets on Which the firsfcclass' matches Were playedj and it Was not an Uncommon tliihg for a medium to fast bowler to see a ball pitched dead oil the middle pin turned away to.legj.sb certain Was the batsman ■ thai he could rely on the ball playing iio tricks. ''It is different in England," said Barrattj "not because the wickets are not good, but because the ball is doiiig something all tho time. Owing to the perfect wickets he plays on, the Alisti'ttlian batsman is forgetting how to nee his 'feet, and that is going to teil against the next team Which conies iii search of the AsheSi My prediction is that the Australians will get well beaten, They have the batshieii but they have riot got" 1 the bowlers. Of course, that is a Weakness all over the World, but it is particularly noticeable ill Australia " The increase in the size of the stumps vised at Home Was commended by Barratt, who said the alteration had assisted tho bowler Without greatly increasing the difficulties of the Batsmen. He was not iii faVoiir of the over, as it

placed too great a strain on a bowler,

particularly a mail who sent' up fast stuff* Briefly discussing the matches played in Australia, Biirratt paid that with a little mdl'e luck the English team Would have finished lip. With a much bet^

tef record. Not dhee were they able to place a full-strength team in the field, and on tWd d6cnsidii£ they had had to bat With duly ten tilen. Barratt was enthusiastic about Wddlley's double iii'ry in Sydney, describing it as one of the best knocks he had seen. The tearii

had greatly missed Bqwley, who, if he had been well, Wdiild have been one of the mainstays of the' side. It was

hoped that BdWley woiild be available for the test matches in New Zealaiid. Barratt said that the umpiring in Australia had not been all that one riiight have expected; and there were at least twd cases in which wrong decisions had proved disastrous to tlie side.

Surprise Was expressed by the Notts professional that there was no overseas coach in Wellington. ■ "You can't expect to develop unless you make provision for coaching;" said Barratt, who went oh to say that Andy Ducat, who played for thd M;C.C. against Queensland, was working like a Trojan in Brisbane and getting excellent results. Barratt has not done ahy coaching outside of Englalich He was offered an engagement in SdUth Africa this year, but he declined

to accept it. Barratt is the biggest-built man dri the side, and in Australia lie was generally known as "Warwick Armstrong." , "We shall try to play bright cricket all the Way through, but there are times* of course, when a team has to play the other 1 sort of cricket," stated Skipper Giliigaih "A toiiring team cariii'dt alwlys' be giving exhibitions of fireworks, as_ there are times when batsmen by doing that are letting their side ddWii. But, all things equal, if we get the pftce of the Wiekets here we shall see bright cricket." / .The .captfti'n stated, that one player whohi the visitors Wdiild miss very badly in tlie first feW jMateftjja was Bowley, whd was so Well acquainted with New Zealand condiiidns, it Was the earnest wish of every nigniber of the side that the treatment BdWley Was Undergoing lit Rdtdrua would give hirii a Complete recovery; "With BoWley back iii the side we shall be a very strong combination," said Oiliigaii. "The four bdWlei-s should.give a gdod account of themselves dii NeW Zealand Wickets, and if there is a little rain about ydn can rely upon Wdolley tying up the" opposition. The bdwlihg strength will be even better when BdWley rejdihs the team." Aithugh he had played in eniy dhe match against the New Zealand team which went to England, Harold Gilligan was. very impressed . with that sTde* Taking a line of how they played cricket in England, he expected to find the opposition strong here. "Of course," he added, "time will tell. Players change iii years; a good player in two years may be a bad player in the next." As to Australia's prospects against England next year, the visiting captain said that there Was some very fine batting talent in Australia,' but the outlook so far as bowling Was concerned did not appear to be so bright.